Dark Paradise
by 60sec400
Summary: It wasn't some rude awakening or a large battle or a sudden re-gaining of memories. She'd just woken up and knew. They had awoken the previous year. Everything was different. She lived in California with her dad, her step-mother was far more forgiving and understanding, and Percy was not in her life. The curse wasn't making anything easy, that was for sure. Canonverse, AUish.
1. The Curse

**Had the inspiration for this at work! You'll see what I mean, possibly. It's taken me a long time a lot of editing. I hope you enjoy it! This story was voted up on my poll to be published/written. I struggled a lot, I've never really written Annabeth ever before ever, so it was a little bit difficult sticking my voice to hers and trying to still write in my style. It's more serious than Riordan's own style and I hope that doesn't distract from the characters. You're entering the story will a lot of backdrop and I hope that's okay! More dialogue will come, the story is actually completed.**

 **I am by no means receiving any money from this story, whose characters are Rick Riordan's and only his. I am simply using them for personal, and other's, enjoyment. Thank you and enjoy!**

* * *

She had awoken the previous year. Everything was different. She lived in California with her dad, her step-mother was far more forgiving and understanding, and Percy was not in her life. She figured that whatever curse this was, and whomever had cast it, had not intended on anyone waking up from it. It was some rude awakening or some battle to find herself, she, along with Camp and presumably anyone with any connection to the gods, had simply found themselves awake one morning with the completely knowledge that everything was wrong.

That had been an awkward morning in the Chase household. Her step-brothers, with whom she'd previously had gotten along with in that second life, skirted around her like she was some big bad wolf. Her step-mother was conflicted, but remained kind. Her father, however, urged her to return to camp and find out what had happened. Annabeth had left almost immediately that week. She booked a plane ticket and bade her life in California goodbye. She was tempted to remain and find out what had happened with the Romans, but that was Percy and Jason's territory. She stared at the entrance to New Rome, though, as she passed on her way to the airport.

She had simply woken up knowing that her life in California with her dad was not right. She had ran away at the age of seven, found by Luke and Thalia and had escaped to Camp Half-Blood. Thalia died and became a pine tree. Several years later, Annabeth met Percy. She tried contacting him through Iris Message, but it wouldn't go through. Nothing would, and so Annabeth assumed it was the curse that had been inflicted on everyone. Perhaps it was loosening, but she still couldn't contact camp. Or Percy.

It was strange having two lives in your head. Annabeth had been tempted, for a moment (approx. 1 Minute and 40 Seconds according to her brain, which then diverged into Medieval time units), to ignore the, then, new memories and return to a life of public high school and friends. She'd been on their soccer team. She was going to take surfing lessons in the summer with her friend Julie (Annabeth didn't really know Julie, not that Julie knew that). Her father had told the school it was a family emergency with her mother in New York and Annabeth may be gone for unknown amount of time. She was in the top 5% of her class, though, and they could simply forward the work for her to catch up on later.

She landed in New York and took the Grey Sisters to Camp. They were eerily quiet, although Annabeth didn't mind, preferring to stare out the window at the passing houses. They flickered by in an instant and it left her with a sour taste in her mouth when she compared the houses to her memories.

Camp. It was full of confused teenagers who were all in the same boat as her. Chiron had had no idea what was happening. That was a year ago. Annabeth was back in California. She had been for several months. She had caught up on schoolwork. She was back on the soccer team, venting her frustrations of this miserable life onto a deflate-able ball. She was back to living with her step-mother and her dad and her step-brothers. They had adjusted and they liked her. She drove them places and they hung out. They listened to music in the car.

The thing was, the monsters were gone. Wiped out. The gods were being annoyingly silent, probably trying to solve the problem. Her dad had bought her a new cell-phone as a gift (she'd thrown out the previous one after she regained her memories, a terrible mistake). She was awkward with it, her old and new memories colliding— one part of her wanted to chuck the thing into the ocean, the other loved having music always available. She went down to the beach every so often and thought of Percy.

This world was so surreal. It was like she was living in a dream. Annabeth now had an extensive knowledge of soccer, but had never once played it in her previous life.

Maybe we all died, she suggested to Thalia one day, and were reborn. But something got messed up, and now we all remember.

"And we all got reborn into the same life?"

Maybe, Annabeth had sighed. I don't know.

The conversation hadn't gone on much longer. If the gods couldn't figure it out, Annabeth and Thalia certainly could not.

Her senior year had begun. Soccer had try-outs. She did it for old times' sake. Over the summer, she'd grown closer to the friends she'd abandoned for her old life. Closer being a relative term— she was not the Annabeth they remembered, though. Her old life was, momentarily, on hold. She had a half-schedule and an internship in the city. She was at lunch. Someone was saying something—.

"—that be fun?" Julie asked, looking around at their crowd of friends.

Annabeth smiled softly. She didn't talk much. They all assumed it had to do with her mother. A mother that was, currently and albeit unbeknownst to them, ignoring Annabeth. She'd spent six months and most of her junior year AWOL in New York City to deal with "family issues."

"Doll, I have five AP's and Cross Country every for two hours after school, I have no time to go on your dads boat," Nina said, staring Julie down with intense black eyes. Julie grinned. "It'll be a Saturday. Or Sunday."

"Church," said Emily.

Andrew pointed at Emily and nodded. "Same."

Annabeth shivered.

"So Saturday," Julie said, settling it. "3?"

Nina hesitated and then shrugged. "It's senior year, might as well get my fill of senioritis in early."

Emily said she'd ask her parents. So did Jaden, Sarah, Alex, and Danny.

Julie turned to Annabeth. "I can go," she said before the Asian girl could open her mouth. "I'm not busy."

"Believe it or not," joked Danny. Annabeth smiled and laughed. The boy frowned and scooted next to her.

"Well," she said, "I should get to class earlier. We have a test. I have a few questions for my professor." She removed herself from the lunch table and smiled at goodbye. It all left a sour taste in her mouth. Thalia appeared later, standing out in front of the school. She knew Annabeth had to pass it on her way home. The girl huffed and pulled into the parking lot. The 15 year old leapt into the car and turned to Annabeth. She turned down the radio and stared at the blonde 18 year old with intense blue eyes. Annabeth had never really noted the family resemblance between Percy and Thalia (and even Nico), but now that Percy was gone, it was far more noticeable. Mentally, in the back of her brain, facial constructions of the six siblings and children of Kronos popped up.

"You're living in a dream," Thalia said.

"It should be a dream," Annabeth remarked. She gripped the wheel tighter. "I want it to be."

"That's your problem."

"Probably."

"Annabeth."

"Thalia."

The hunter huffed. The gold light of another passing day flashed around them. Annabeth drove into a tunnel and they were stuffed into darkness.

"I wanted it to be a dream too, you know," Thalia said. Annabeth cut her off, shaking her head.

"Everyone did. We all did. I'm dealing, Thalia, I am. I just… it's hard. You know? Everyone I knew was replaced by everything I really knew, and then… now the fake first ones are the real ones. Everything is just confusing," she explained, her brow furrowed. They were five minutes from Annabeth's house.

"You can let me out on the corner," Thalia said softly.

The car stopped. Door opened. Door closed. Annabeth looked over. Thalia gave a miniature salute and disappeared down the street. The car went on. Parked. Keys. The door opened.

Dinner.

I'll be down in a moment, let me put my stuff upstairs.

Now her step-mother was genuinely worried. They'd had a long talk when Annabeth had come back the first time, the real first time, and had grown closer ever since. Until… the awakening. It'd been awkward. Her parents watched as she milled about the house, almost automatic. At first, it was understandable. But then it was worrisome. Chiron had said it was going to be the natural coping process. But where did coping end and depressed began? He compared the new memories to an amnesiac regaining old memories.

Annabeth she supposed she was kind of like that.

"How was school?"

"Same as usual," she replied.

A glance.

"You should go out," her father said, concerned.

"I am. This Saturday, with Julie and stuff. On her dad's boat," Annabeth said, finally looking up from her potatoes.

Another glance.

"I'm going to go upstairs, okay? I'm just, I'm not feeling well."

The rest of the week passed without incident. Danny kept flirting, she kept pushing. She had school, then soccer and then everyday she went home and sat in her room and listened to her music. Saturday came and so Annabeth was waiting for her dad to drive her to the Marina that Julie had said her dad's boat was docked at. The night previously, Annabeth discovered that her father was thinking about buying a boat. They arrived at the marina an hour early.

"I'll be back," he dad said, grabbing his things. "Go look around. I don't want to leave the car on for so long."

They got out of the car. Annabeth grabbed her bag and smiled at her dad briefly before he disappeared behind the gas tanks. She wore a white flowy tank top and some shorts. She had flip-flops on and a large floppy hat. Her sunglasses were round and large and she thought for a moment that, if Percy could see her, he'd say she looked like she had lived in California all her life. She certainly looked it. She began walking down the dock and ended up all the way at the end of it by a small shack that said Gas Dock. There was an open flag, but the window closest to her was shut. She walked as far from it as she could and slid her flip-flops off, dipping her feet into the Pacific.

"Well, you're not a boat."

That voice.

A pause.

"Are… you alright?"

She whipped around. "I'm fine."

Percy stepped back, but looked unimpressed. "Well, okay, if you say so. Ugh, waiting for someone to pick you up?"

"Meeting friends," she replied, breathlessly. Percy didn't appear to remember. But he was alive! That was good, it was what she had at least been hoping.

He sat down next to her and she wanted to cry and throw her arms around him and then throw him into the ocean. Not that it would hurt him. He didn't touch the water, but he folded his legs crisscross apple-sauce and leaned back on his hands. They looked out over the water.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, looking over and taking in every detail. He was certainly tanner, more so than she could ever wish to become. His hair was windblown and cropped short. He wore a white tank and a pair of shorts. No shoes, though that was usual when Percy was by water. Or even boats.

"Oh, I work here. My dad owns the marina."

She tried not to show her shock, and instead looked away over the water. It was sparkling and rough from all the boats. "What do you do?" She had to call Chiron.

"Lots of things. Mostly I fix boats. But I also work the gas dock," he said, gesturing to the hut behind him. "Not a lot of people come here though, you know, from land."

"Oh, okay. My dad is thinking about buying a boat."

Percy nodded. "Yeah, I know the guy. Willy or something. He's neat."

"Why's he selling?"

"Money, probably, for a bigger boat."

"Oh okay. You from around here?" Annabeth asked, her voice suddenly tight. She can't look over at Percy, for fear of wanting to cry, but also because she hopes that she can keep him speaking. She is afraid that if she looks over, it would have been her imagination the entire time.

"No, New York. But we moved here when I was younger," Percy replied. He paused. "You?"

"I'm from here, but I recently visited New York."

"Oh, okay. You like it? What part?"

"Annabeth!"

The blonde haired girl and the dark haired boy turned toward the voice. Julie, with her black hair blowing in the sudden wind, waved at her. Behind the girl was Danny and Nina behind her. Danny was frowning at something, but Nina looked like a pleased puppy that had just been given a treat for no reason after they had unknowingly done something wrong. Annabeth waved and stood up, Percy standing with her as he realized their conversation was probably over. She walked toward her friends, the dark haired boy trailing behind her.

"Hey, we saw your dad. He said you were down here!" Julie exclaimed. She turned her dark eyes on Percy. "Who's this?"

Percy reached forward to shake her hand. Annabeth held her breath— maybe this wasn't Percy and simply a look-a-like. She needed confirmation. "Call me P," he said, with a smile. Julie grinned, eyes shifting between Annabeth and Percy. Danny had stepped around Julie and stood next to Annabeth. Nina bounded around the dock looking for ducks.

"I'm Julie, friend of Annabeth's. You two know each other?" she asked, genuinely curious.

Before Annabeth could say anything, Percy said, "Not really, we just met. She was sitting on the docks and I thought I'd keep her company." He turned to look at Annabeth. He looked completely confused. "You looked really familiar."

That moment a boat pulled up to the gas dock. Percy bade them farewell and then hurried off to tie the boat in. He waved at Annabeth, a huge grin on his goofy face. He proceeded to trip over one of the hoses that was connected to the gas pump and fell flat on his chest. Annabeth burst out laughing, "Are you okay?"

"M' fine!" he yelled, jumping up to his feet to help the boat. The owner was laughing and the two began talking.

Annabeth turned back to her friends with a grin on her face.

The boat ride had been spectacular. The sun was shining out and Annabeth's mood had been lifted graciously. She was, however, distracted by the thoughts of seeing Percy again. He was alive, this much now was certain. He had no memory of anything, much like everyone else had been, but for whatever reason this curse was still on him. Annabeth tried to think of reasons why, or perhaps why he would still not know and everyone else did. She was distracted by the sparkling cider and the looming clouds that threatened their sunny day. After two hours, Julie suggested they head back.

The ocean smelled of salt and the wind blew the smell of comfort into his face. She was reminded of Percy, who was standing on the dock way back two hours from now. He smelled of salt and sea water. His hair looked so different, cropped short but sticking up in the front. He was darker and his SPQR was still burned into his skin. Annabeth hoped that her dad bought the boat and she was have a reason to return to the dock as often as possible. He was certainly different. Percy had always been reserved, his sense of humor only coming out when he simply blurted it out. He didn't talk a lot— Annabeth did most of the talking almost all of the time.

The arrived back two more hours later, docking into Julie's dads slip. Percy was there suddenly, beckoning someone to throw him a line. Julie directed Annabeth and Jaden to throw the lines out, Percy catching them to pull in the boat. He tied up the boat and smiled, almost directly at Annabeth.

"Alright, everyone off!" Julie said. Annabeth watched Percy go down to the gas dock, writing stuff down and beginning to close up.

Julie stood next to Annabeth, the dock rocking beneath them. "Honey, we've been going here for years. Let me be honest with you, so many girls have tried to get with that boy. It ain't happening."

Annabeth frowned. "We'll see. He's cute."

"He's alright," said Danny behind Annabeth. The blonde girl gritted her teeth. In the second life, the cursed one, Annabeth had been active in her group of friends. She flirted with Danny, she had played soccer and practiced often with Nina. She had several clubs she'd been involved with. But after regaining her memories, along with all the things that made her a Daughter of Athena (Diverging thought— mental list of everything from the Athena Cabin that had been hers had appeared in her room), she'd returned to who she really was; she was Annabeth Chase, Daughter of Athena and Architect of Olympus. She had gone through the mystical Labyrinth and read Daedalus' personal notes. She'd fought in the battle of New York and had outwitted Circe. She wasn't some mediocre mortal who played soccer and went shopping on the weekends.

Except she had been. The entire world and all her memories had been crafted to fit that idea. She had soccer trophies and cleats from elementary school, despite the fact that Annabeth hadn't actually done it. It felt like she'd lived it, and perhaps, Chiron thought, they had. They'd relived all their lives and one day woke up knowing it was all wrong. Annabeth had relived all eighteen years of her life again, as a different person with parents who loved her and a seven year old who hadn't ran away because of mythical monsters. Her "friends" all had memories of her from middle and elementary school, with pictures and shared-laughs to prove it. For all intents and purposes, the life had been real.

For Annabeth, she preferred thinking that she'd simply been asleep for a very long time and now that she'd woken up the curse was taunting her with physical objects that she could see and touch and smell to say, 'hey, what if it was real? And your life as a demigod was all a lie?' But her father's words and the physical Camp had been enough to ensure her that she truly was what she thought she was. Half-human and half-god, in every sense of the words. As much as she tried, it wasn't something she could deny.

Still, the memories her "friends" had did not correspond with the Annabeth that had returned from New York after she had oh-so-suddenly left because of a mom that had always been very out of her life Annabeth's entire life returned, which wasn't necessarily a lie. They found a girl who was wickedly smart and did not enjoy shopping. She played soccer but only because she felt obligated to. Annabeth was quiet and poised and much focused. She dropped out of most of her clubs that'd she'd been in for three years. Her teasing was no longer relentless and she opted instead to sit and stare at walls with squinted eyes like she was thinking about something. They'd confronted her at lunch about their concerns— was she alright? What happened in New York? Is her mom okay?

Yes, its fine, Annabeth said. Just thinking about stuff, that's all.

Annabeth rarely said the word "stuff". That was how Julie knew something was wrong. The Annabeth she knew chose her words very carefully. She pulled her aside one day after Annabeth's car was put in the shop. She'd offered her a ride, and they'd gotten coffee. And then—.

"You're not acting normal."

I'm fine.

"It's like you're in a dream state," Julie said, coking her head and letting her dark black hair fall over her shoulder. She looked sympathetic. "What happened with your mom?"

Annabeth looked over at her and narrowed her eyes. She suddenly became that poised and focused girl that was ruthless in battle. She analyzed Julie, making the girl shift and grow uncomfortable. Then Annabeth sighed and the warrior fell away and sunk into the ground. "It's difficult to explain."

"Try. Please? I thought we had a closer relationship than this?"

Annabeth looked out the window of the car. They were still in the coffee shops parking lot, still sitting in the fading daylight. It was December, the weather was 70 degrees out and there was a light breeze. Annabeth felt so surreal. In her memories, she'd always been closer to Julie. They'd been, apparently, friends since second grade. They had had play dates and sleep overs where they did their nails. Annabeth had been, naturally, afraid of spiders; Julie killed the spiders for Annabeth. They got to freshman year and moved from club soccer to high school soccer, both becoming varsity members of the team upon their second semester of their sophomore year, Nina following her junior year.

They had their group of friends. But Annabeth's real life was, of course, real and thus it had taken priority in her life. As it would. She didn't really remember the soccer practices or having a best friend to sleep-over with. She knew almost nailing Luke with a hammer, pun intended, and the threat of monsters and the loss of a best friend who'd been turned into a tree was real. But Julie was, now, a friend who she was now ignoring.

It wasn't fair to Julie, who'd been swept into Annabeth's life and curse. It only proved Chiron's theory. Annabeth wondered sometimes who these people had been in the first world.

"We do," Annabeth said. It wasn't a lie, Julie become some sort of accomplice to Annabeth. Accomplice wasn't the word— perhaps friend was. Annabeth couldn't just forget everything in her memories. As much as her real life took priority, old habits die hard.

"We do, Jules. But the thing is… it _is_ complicated. My mom and her family. They're big. They fight a lot. I got swept up in some mistakes with family and it just… I haven't really seen my mom you know? And I saw her there and she just ignored me. She's been ignoring me."

Julie was biting her lip. "Hasn't she always been distant?"

"She always insisted that my dad raise me, sure," Annabeth supplied, judging how far she could take her lie and half-truth. "But I knew her. I talked to her. She got me an architecture job for when I graduate—." Not true, necessarily, given that Annabeth already had the job. But technically she was hoping everything would be resolved in a year. (Her mind diverged onto possible solutions or plans or even reasons.) "—and I'm hoping that she'll just talk to me. I spent six months there and nothing was solved and I got the brunt of everything, kind of. There's a lot of extended family."

"You're lying," Julie sniffed. Her voice on the verge of tears.

Annabeth wanted to throw her head in the dirt, but she shook her head. "I'm not," she said through her teeth.

"You've never mentioned any of them before. Get out of the car."

"Fine, you know what!? Screw the gods, fuck them! I'm done!" Annabeth shouted. "You know what, Julie, I'll let you know what's going on. I know you're smart. You know about demigods and the Greek gods and all that shit. My mom? Yeah, her names Athena. I'm her daughter, I'm a demigod. I have gone on countless quests—."

And Annabeth told her everything. The curse, the truth, the new life. The monsters were gone, and the gods were silent. She'd gone back after the awakening, that's what they called it she explained, to the camp where she'd grown up. It wasn't here at all, here was barely a set of memories and a curse.

Julie remained silent. "You're not even human. You say human like you aren't one."

"Half-human," Annabeth said with a scowl. "and Half-god."

"Wow."

"You think I'm lying."

"I don't."

Annabeth looked at Julie. She seemed slightly afraid, as Annabeth supposed one would when one heard that the Greek gods were real, but seemed to be taking the information well.

"Tell me about your life."

Annabeth did. They started driving, finally leaving the parking lot after two hours. They arrived at Annabeth's house. They went upstairs and Annabeth kept talking. She told her all the quests, Percy, the Battle of New York, and growing up in Camp Half-Blood.

In the end, Julie said, "No wonder you're so smart."

"It's not quite like that, but yeah."

"Like do you think differently?"

A pause. "I don't think so. I know I can think two or three things at once, but for the longest time I thought that was normal."

"So does that mean you can do like history, AP lit, and calc all at once?"

"Theoretically, yeah."

"That's so cool."

"Julie, I'm glad that's what you focused on."

The girl laughed, although she sounded still uneasy. Annabeth was almost relieved— if Julie _hadn't_ been worried or uneasy, Annabeth would have assumed she was a monster or something. Then again, all the monsters had been wiped out. (She couldn't let her guard down and her mind diverged to thinking about movements with her dagger). They talked a bit further and then Julie bade Annabeth farewell. Walk down the stairs. Door opened. A hug. Door closed. Annabeth brushed her teeth and went to bed.

School. Practice. Home.

"We should all go down to the dock to look at the new boat!"

Car doors open, a drive through the city, car doors slam. Annabeth's heart fluttered as they walked down the dock. Their new boat was in C-Dock. The gas dock was significantly further and a way's away. She excused her to explore and walked down. Percy was working. Her heart thumped.

He was just pushing a boat off as she walked down. He walked back into the shack and she heard the register open.

"You're not a boat," she said aloud as he walked out. He turned to her and grinned. He leaned against the shack and smiled, her heart thumping fast. She still had to tell Chiron she found him, even though for the moment she wanted him all to herself. There was still no explanation for his lack of memories, and even so she wasn't even sure the problem could be solved as easily as it had been for her. She needed someone to bounce ideas off of. And someone who had been alive for centuries was probably the person to do that with. Or something.

Maybe.

Probably.

Annabeth straightened.

"Hey, you're back! Dad buy the boat or are you going out with friends again?" He asked.

"Dad bought the boat," she said. It was silent.

"I know you from somewhere," he said, scrunching his eyebrows together in confusion. She pushed her shoulders back.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, something… about you. It's really familiar to me. I don't know why." He paused and then shrugged. "Either way, I'd like to get to know you." He grew red. "Not that… I mean… if you want, you're really pretty and stuff. I mean, like—."

She laughed, and was reminded of the Percy she met when she was twelve. She waved her hands in front of her. "No, no, I understand. Don't worry about it. I'd like that too."

They began to talk. School and how Percy got into boats and his life in San Francisco. He explained to her how his dad acquired the Marina and how ever since he was young he'd been around boats. Annabeth nudged around and got him to speak about his dad.

His names was Paul Blofis (Annabeth let out a sigh of relief) and his father, James Blofis, had died and passed his marina over to Paul. Paul, not wanting to sell something his father loved so much, moved from New York to here to take over. He was still a school teacher and had mostly left the Marina to itself— it functioned well, and there was no reason for him to change too much. He had met Percy's (though he apparently wanted to be called P) mom, Sally, while visiting New York again and they had fallen in love. Percy had only been five. They'd packed up and moved and had lived here ever since.

Percy was homeschooled, and he lived in a house "Riiiiight there," Percy said, pointing down the bay and toward a large house. It looked beautiful.

"That's… fancy," Annabeth said."

"Yeah, much better than a New York apartment, let me tell you," Percy replied. He told her about his friends, the few of them he had apparently, and how much he loved being by boats. The dock freaks me out, he told her, which made Annabeth frown and look away in confusion. Percy had always loved being by the water— docks and boats and sand especially.

She left when he brothers came to get her, waving Percy goodbye. She held out her hand though, "My name's Annabeth," she said.

He held out his and then hesitated. He grasped her hand and she felt her arm tingle. He paused before he said his name, "Percy," he replied.

She smiled and said goodbye, for now.

* * *

 _To Be Continued.._


	2. The Beginning

_"_ _How'd you get that tattoo?"_

 _Percy laughed and Annabeth's heart swelled. "You know, that's a funny story!"_

* * *

Chiron frowned.

"You seem anxious."

"I just have news."

"On what? Have you spotted monsters?" He leaned forward, interested. He rested his hands together and looked at Annabeth curiously. She winced.

"Not exactly."

"Oh?"

"I found Percy," she said, her voice dragging. She thought of the prospect of Chiron suddenly telling her it was useless and there was no way to force the memories. Then she sat up and remembered all the times they had told her to give up. There was no words from the gods and no spell could seem to fix anything. Hazel and Lou Ellen had tried on numerous occasions but to no avail, nothing had seemed to work.

"Where di—."

"San Francisco. He works at a Marina. My friend had a boat there and I went and… I saw him. He doesn't remember me. It seems he's still asleep in the dream," Annabeth said, her voice growing softer.

"He doesn't remember anything."

"Not at all. He said I seemed familiar one time but that was it."

"Let's talk, Annabeth."

* * *

 _"_ _What's your favorite food?"_

 _"_ _Me?" Annabeth hummed. "Oh, I guess… I don't know. I really like mashed potatoes."_

* * *

Annabeth stood outside the gas hut trying to look as nonchalant as she could. She had a baseball cap on and a large t-shirt and desperately wanted to not look as out of place as she did. She watched as Percy stood by the pump and the gallons flew up. He had made eye contact with her a moment ago, but had given no indication that she was there at all. It wasn't that much of a surprise. He was at work. She kept bothering him. She glanced at her watch. 6:55. He got off in five minutes.

He'd invited her to hang out after work ended and even take a look at her dad's boat. She watched as he grabbed the card and made his way over to her. He smiled.

"I'll be right there," he whispered as he walked into the shack. She heard him swipe the card and then he came out a moment later with a receipt. He bade them farewell and held the ten dollar tip in his hand as he pushed the boat off. He waved and then turned back to Annabeth.

"Let me close, I'll be ready in a moment. There's something I want to show you."

"Okay!" she said. She bit her lip, a habit she'd apparently picked up from Nicki.

"So, I gotta get the amount of gallons we used. Then roll up all the lines and then roll the pump lines up. And then tear down the open sign."

"I'll help!"

He paused. "You sure?"

"Yeah, I can… pull the pump lines in," she said. She could feel her face growing hot and wanted to throw herself in the water with the jellyfish.

He pursed his lips. "Alright, but don't pull them in too fast or else they'll get caught. Five is particular about that, let that one in especially slowly." She nodded and the two set to work.

Not too long after they were finished and Percy was locking the door to the hut. They began walking up the dock and Percy chatted aimlessly about colleges and where he was thinking of applying. He sounded totally disinterested though and Annabeth wondered how much was Paul speaking and how much was Percy. She amused him and joked about her possible job in the future. While she surely held the title, actually going up to Olympus was another question.

The guard at New York had disappeared and there was no way to access the 600th floor, even with a little magic.

"So," Percy said, once they had left the docks and were walking up behind the boatel. "I've been working on this boat for ages, it's my own little side project, you know. My dad is only kinda supportive but it keeps me up on my knowledge of boats and how they work. They're really fascinating, honestly. But yeah, here she is." He gestured to a boat. It was decently sized with a deck and a cabin. It sat in a small little slip, secured with several crossing lines. It was wooden and the material looked a little worse for wear but well-loved. The blue had long since faded but Annabeth knew that it had been the navy color that Percy loved. On the side, in peeling gold lettering, was the name "Neptune".

"Yeah," Percy grinned, rubbing the back of his neck. "I like the name, but it just doesn't fit right. You know?"

Annabeth nodded. "Yeah… how about Poseidon?"

Percy paused, and Annabeth turned to look at him. He seemed to be struggling with something, and behind his green eyes she could see the confusion and memory. He looked at her when it faded and she felt her heart harden for whatever this creature had done to them. "I love it," he said. "Do you want something to drink?"

She nodded. They sat there on the boat, slowly rocking, for the next three hours. It wasn't until Annabeth had to leave from an urgent text that she said goodbye. He turned to her at one point, while she was in the middle of telling him a story about a family vacation that she had a vague memory of, and frowned.

"Can I trust you with something?" he asked.

"Of course you can, Percy," she said immediately. He nodded and took a deep breath.

"I'm afraid of water."

She blinked.

He continued. "I almost drowned when I was a kid back in New York. We were at the beach and something just happened and I got sucked down under the water. It freaked my mom out. It'd been dead for almost three minutes when they revived me. And it just. God I hate it. I don't mind boats, don't know why, but even just being on the docks or near water freaks me out. I thought I'd gotten over it but when I started working here it just made it worse. My parents don't know. But I just… felt someone should at least know. Someone that I trust."

She wanted to say he'd only know her about a month now, but she just nodded and took his hand. "I won't say a word."

He smiled at her and she smiled back and they continued back to Annabeth's story. Percy's confession was out of sight, but Annabeth couldn't help but think about it and where it might have come from. There were several reasons why it was relevant and she knew she'd have to discuss it with Chiron when she could.

"I'd love to come back here again," she exclaimed, smiling. Her mood had lifted considerably since Percy's almost memory lapse, but the look in his eyes still bothered her.

"Trust me," he said, "we will."

She left grinning but Piper's sudden text was worrisome.

* * *

 _"_ _I've always really been into architecture, you know," she said. "I want to build something that will last 1000 years." She smiled at the memory the first time she'd said that._

 _Percy grinned. "That's really cool. Tell me more."_

* * *

"You're here to watch me?"

Piper shook her head. "Of course not! Chiron wants us here to help the Romans so that we can stay in contact with them. Iris Messaging still doesn't work, you know that, so the best way is to have us here to help out the best way we can and both rebuild up."

Annabeth sighed. "I know. You're not babysitting me though."

The seventeen year old grinned. "Never! I'm staying at the Roman camp anyway."

Annabeth nodded. She suddenly felt the urge to tell Piper she'd seen Percy. She knew the girl would immediately want to meet him, but Chiron had warned her against it. Percy still had enemies even in the mortal world among Demigods and letting it known that he could defend himself as much as a mortal was not in their best interests. They didn't even know if his powers could work. Annabeth doubted he'd ever try, considering his confession to her.

The whole prospect bothered her. Not just Percy being afraid of water, but that in and of itself was an oxymoron. No, it was the scenario. Percy could be healed by water. It was dramatic, from small cuts to gashes in his arms the water could heal him up no problem. Annabeth began to judge the prospect of Percy being the root of the curse. Whomever had done this had done so with Percy in mind. But the thing was, it had had to be a creature or monster that had released the spell. But all the monsters had been wiped out.

Maybe the monster had been wiped out with the spell too. Maybe she'd accidently destroyed herself. Doing so would release some hold on the spell but it had still taken a year for everyone to wake up. There were still no gods, and certainly still no monsters, but the spell was slowly releasing its hold on everything. By why was Percy the center of the curse? She couldn't figure it out. But Annabeth knew she had to tell Chiron and Reyna her ideas; everyone was doing they're hardest to figure out the purpose.

No one knew the why.

"Annabeth?"

The daughter of Athena's eyes snapped back to Piper. "I'm sorry, sorry. I just got distracted."

"You're fine, I just wanted to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine, Piper, thank you. I just… it's been hard."

The girl nodded. "I know. I went back to the life I had before we got attacked at the Grand Canyon and I met you. I woke up and, gods, it was rough. It was just like before, only this time I knew it was real and not a trick. I knew I had to get in contact with someone right away. But I just couldn't. I didn't know who remembered and who didn't, and even then Iris Messaging wasn't working and I'd thrown my phone out and—."

"Did you really?" Annabeth laughed. "I did too. First thing I did."

Piper laughed, and Annabeth felt like she was back at Camp Half-Blood the year they had been friends.

"Well, I kinda wandered around the first month really confused and then I got a letter from Chiron. Leo wasn't anywhere to bed found," her voice cracked, "I was so happy I started crying. My dad was so confused. So then I got another letter and Chiron made it look like it was some camp for special kids, which I guess it is, and convinced my dad to send me. Took a little bit of extra convincing if you get what I mean. But aside from that and everything, not much changed. My life had been the same." She shrugged and flicked the lock/un-lock latch on Annabeth's car. "I mean, I still had the ability to tell people what to do."

Annabeth nodded. "I could still… think differently, I guess."

Piper nodded. "Jason said he could jump really high. So like, not fly. But he was crazy at jumping."

Annabeth looked out her car window. It was raining, a common occurrence in December. They had the heat on blast and her windshield wipers were going crazy. "Just try to imagine some gym class here in California and some kid jumps twenty feet in the air."

Piper laughed. "I'm trying but honestly all I see is Jason's face as he falls back down to earth."

Annabeth nodded and laughed. "So, tell me, how did you convince your dad to let you come out to California in December. Shouldn't you be in school?"

Piper seemed to juggle the thought. "Well, when I said Chiron sent a letter about a camp… well I meant school."

Annabeth nodded. "I know he brought in some of the Roman legacies to help out. I'm surprised they came."

Piper nodded. "We were all surprised. But it's been great. They're teaching the kids who hadn't had anyone at all and just getting people back on their feet. I mean, most parents, like yours, remember. And I know some didn't want to send their kids back but most of them convinced their parents to return. We have so many more kids too. It's been crazy. But we've been doing outreach. You're out here in California with the Romans. The Hunters have even been helping out— they have gone around making sure they're no monster spotting's. And that kids have places to go."

"They've been recruiting for the camp?" Annabeth asked, confused. "The Satyrs?"

Piper shook her head. "Mostly just making sure the kids are safe. I'm sure they've snatched a few girls at the same time. The Satyrs… I mean, you've talked to Grover. They're going crazy with the nature spirits. We're just glad they're here at all."

Annabeth nodded. Piper was right. For a while, it had been a common assumption that everything had been wiped out and only demi-gods remembered. But Chiron was there and so were the Satyrs and nature spirits. Everything was crazy. Most of them were trying to simply get things back on track. Naiads, Dryads, Nymphs, and everything in between were just there to make sure that the natural order of the world wasn't going to explode. Most of them claimed they'd just appeared the same day that everyone got their memories.

It proved Annabeth's theory about the spell breaking down.

"I'm just surprised about the Hunters."

"I am too," Piper admitted, "but Thalia said that they just want to help and keep everyone safe. They're in the same boat we are. Most of them were living normal lives."

Annabeth silently agreed. They were all in the same boat. Ha. Boat.

"I'm surprised you don't know," Piper said. "Haven't you talked to Thalia?"

Annabeth thought back to their conversation a long time ago at the beginning of Annabeth's senior year. It had been incredibly short. Thalia accused Annabeth of living in a dream, of not wanting to do anything about the situation. But she'd done something for six months when she got the memories back. But it had been suggested that the older kids, the ones who could risk living in the real world, should return home and report their findings. New Demigods who were remembering for the first time, any monster sightings, trying to figure out what happened through their own research. Annabeth had a huge box under her bed of curses in Greek mythology. She desperately wished for Daedalus' computer but she was doing her best.

"Not really," she said slowly. "Thalia… she thought I wanted this normality. Maybe I did, in the beginning."

"But now?"

"No," Annabeth answered. She knew she meant it. "No, I don't. I wanted normality when I was seven. And a couple months ago when we Awoke. But I don't know. I'm a demigod. This is my life. It was my life. And maybe I wanted normality at some point, but I want it in this life. Not in a life that wasn't decided by me."

Piper nodded. "I understand."

Annabeth nodded and then leaned back in the seat. She was gripping her knees. "Everything is crazy. I have a couple theories though." They all revolved around Percy and Annabeth was hoping Piper would ask, just so she could tell her that Percy had been found. He was happy. But he was living in a dream.

"Then we should go talk the Reyna. You know she and Chiron are trying to build a Greek and Roman relation through all of this, though, right? That's hard enough as is it. He told me to tell you we should head there."

Annabeth sighed. She un-parked the car. "Let's go."

They sped down the highway through the rain. It was dark out, it had been for a while, and Piper gripped the car.

"I've never gone driving with you."

Annabeth smiled. "I passed the test on the first try but the best thing about this?"

Annabeth downshifted gears and slammed down on the clutch. "I love stick." They drifted around the curve. If Piper hadn't flown on a giant automaton mechanical dragon over half the United States, she would have screamed.

But they were fine. Annabeth parked and they slipped out into the rain. They were behind some convenience store that was across the maintenance tunnel some five minutes away. They trudged through the rain until the tunnel came into view and the two guards straightened when they saw them.

"Who are you?"

"Annabeth Chase and Piper McLean, let us go," Annabeth said. The one guard straightened and then smiled at them.

"You're here! Reyna said that Chiron said to expect you. Come one, I'll take you in. At ease, soldier."

The other guard, relaxed, having saluted them in a half attempt at respect and to half hide his natural awe and fear. The seven weren't huge celebrities, but they were looked at as legends. This guard had clearly been there or heard it all from some awe-inspired soldier. The first guard led them down the tunnel and to the river. Annabeth wondered how spontaneous Piper mentioning the Roman camp was.

New Rome rose in the distance. It looked just as it had when Annabeth had last been here, shining in marble glory. It glowed softly in the rain and Annabeth asked why they didn't keep the rain out. The guard just shrugged and said that since the gods were gone, there was no one to control the weather. They just had to let whatever it was affecting California affect them. It wasn't difficult to adjust to, though.

They came to the Praetor office a moment later. Reyna called them in.

"Annabeth, Piper, you're here." She smiled at them and told them to sit. Her dogs sat calmly in the background. Annabeth and Reyna had grown closer during the six months that Annabeth had been in New York. It was another reason Annabeth had been sent back— she was someone both Reyna and Chiron trusted. Chiron especially knew that Annabeth was someone he trusted to make decisions on Camp Half-Bloods behalf.

"Yes," Annabeth said. "I know Piper said that Chiron told you to expect us. I have some theories. What is said in this room cannot leave it. Swear to me on the River Styx."

The two swore and all three held their breath to hear the soothing sound of the thunder rumble. But nothing came. They sighed. But Reyna leaned forward. "You can trust us, Annabeth."

"I know. It's just…" she sighed and looked away. "I found Percy."

"What?"

"Seriously? Where?"

"My friend Julie. Had a boat at a Marina, his step-dad owns it. He works there."

"He…"

"No memories," Annabeth confirmed. Reyna frowned and leaned back in her chair. "He said I looked familiar and he has this boat that he's working on. He named it Neptune but he said it didn't feel right. And he… is afraid of water."

Piper frowned. "What?"

Annabeth nodded. "It leads me back to why we're here. I think Percy is… or was, the root of the curse."

"What makes you think that? I know you wouldn't without reason," Reyna asked. Her black eyes had narrowed and she began to speculate.

"Percy has healing capabilities. Water, particularly salt water, gives it to him. I don't think this monster, whomever it was, planned out our lives. I think they changed them to what would happen if we didn't know about the gods. I don't think they could erase our existence, but I think she could change them if she wanted. If we came close to discovering what we were living wasn't the truth. So, the second Percy would have touched water, even as a kid—."

"He would have remembered," Reyna finished. "But that brings on a whole new question."

Annabeth shook her head. "Just let me finish. I think that this person… this monster, well they wiped everything out. All the monsters, everything. I think they wiped themselves out too. I think Percy was the person they'd had in mind. I don't know why or how. Maybe it got too out of hand."

"So you think the curse was for Percy but it evolved to be everyone in the world that knew about the gods?"

Annabeth juggled the thought. "Maybe? Or maybe Percy was just meant to forget and live in this perfect normal little world, and to protect that, they made everyone else forgot so that they couldn't help him."

"There had to be more," Piper said. Reyna nodded slowly.

"Think. Curses."

Annabeth thought. "Circe… any goddess…" her head snapped up. "Tartarus. When Percy and I were there, we were cursed by these creatures who… well they enacted last dying curses. I went blind in one of them and maybe we killed one that didn't take root until now."

"Maybe," Reyna said. Piper nodded. "But why. Why now. Or, a year ago, whatever." She rolled her eyes. "But there has to be a reason. To what? Let him live a normal, happy life?"

"Maybe to kill him unawares?"

Annabeth shivered. "Could be, but then why affect everyone in the world? The gods. It can't be explained.

Reyna stood up and began to pace. "What if you're right about the last curses, Annabeth? But not from Tartarus. What if Gaea—."

Annabeth eyed her. "You think she whispered this curse to Percy?"

"I think it went far further than even she intended. Perhaps it was just to kill him. Or leave him as he had Iapetus, without memory. He did forget. But perhaps the magic reached far further than we could imagine. It restarted everything with new lives, for everyone. It wasn't real, well… we lived it. But it wasn't the right world. And when she cursed him with a new life where he couldn't be a threat to her—."

Annabeth stood up. "— the magic she used cursed everyone. It made an entirely different world. One without Titans or gods or monsters. But when she did that—."

"—it got rid of her—."

"—which weakened the magic—."

"—and it just took us back to where we were when the curse was enacted to weaken enough for us to remember." Annabeth sighed. "But what about the gods, will they ever return? We've determined that the curse of a mindless life went too far. But why can't Percy escape."

Piper scowled. "She was still an ancient being. Her magic is strong. And we could be completely wrong. Whomever did this, even if it was Gaea, never intended for everything to disappear."

"You don't think it was Gaea?"

"I don't think she'd mess up."

Annabeth deflated. "Of course she wouldn't."

"But what about the mist…" Piper said. Reyna looked up.

"That's a tricky subject, Piper."

The girl nodded. "I know, I know. But maybe something happened with the mist. Someone got too powerful and just… changed everything. Made everyone believe they were normal."

"Could be true. The mist… not everyone understands it," Annabeth said. "Most of the gods barely understand it. How can we begin to know if it's been manipulated?"

"Magic is to change the mist, right? That's what Hazel," Piper gulped, "used to say. Think about it. If the mist went crazy and just… reset everything."

Annabeth stopped her. "You think it got out of hand, that someone lost control?"

"That someone would be, what do you call her? Hecate?"

Annabeth nodded and then slumped her shoulders. "And we can't talk to her. But your theory is a lot more plausible than ours."

Piper beamed but then frowned. "Suppose it's a mixture of both. Someone lost control of the mist and when they tried to put everything back to normal…"

"Maybe normal meant really normal, like mortal normal," Reyna said slowly. She was leaning against her desk.

"So where does Percy come in to this?"

They all stood silent.

They didn't have an answer.

* * *

 _To Be Continued..._


	3. The Cafe

_"_ _I've always really been good with boats. They just listen to me you know. The mechanics teach me a lot but I just know boats," Percy said, his face scrunched up real hard._

 _"_ _I understand," Annabeth said. It was funny thinking of Percy being a mechanic. Maybe he should have been a son of Hephaestus. But then maybe he wouldn't be good with boats. She laughed._

* * *

"Annabeth, can I trust you with something?"

She and Percy were sitting on his boat, drinking sparkling flavored water in old wine glasses and talking about nothing in particular. They'd quieted down as it got late and the comfort that Annabeth had missed ever since they Awoke. Percy was staring out over the twinkling lights of San Francisco from across their small bay, his chin resting on his knee.

She turned to look at him. "Of course." How long ago had it been since they met in this second life? Four months? Four and a half? It had seemed like eons.

Percy frowned, biting his lip, an action that Annabeth noted was knew. Her mind diverged into all the quirks she knew he had.

"It's just. It's weird. And freaky. My parents don't know about it or anything. I never could tell them but when… well, when I turned twelve. I— let me just show you," he said. He sat up and walked over to the sink, chugged the rest of the sparkling water from his glass and filled it up with water. He sat it down on the table in front of her.

She frowned. "You can fill up a glass?"

"Ha. Ha."

She tried not to smile. "I'm serious, sorry."

"It's okay," he breathed and then lifted his hand. He concentrated and slowly the water began to leave the glass and gather in a small ball. It floated above the glass, the water seemingly being gathered from the glass itself and from the air around it. It just kept getting larger until it was the size of a tennis ball. Annabeth leaned forward. He still had his powers. Oh god.

"Wow," she whispered. "Percy… that's amazing."

"Really?" he asked, his voice heavy. "Oh. Cool."

Annabeth touched the side of the water and it wobbled but it didn't break or splash everywhere. She was fascinated. Some things had just simply stuck with them, if not a little suppressed. Annabeth, in the second life, had always been a fast thinker. To the point where it had been abnormal. Piper had said she was always convincing even still in the second life. Thalia mentioned an affinity for shocking people significantly worse than anyone else. But Percy had complete control over his powers— not abilities, powers. An ability was like the Apollo kids just having great voices, but Percy, Thalia, Nico had powers. They could manipulate things like water, lightning, and the dead.

Why was Percy so special?

* * *

"Annabeth?"

Annabeth looked up from her paper. Julie was sitting across from her, tapping her pencil against her psychology text book and biting her lip. It was the type of face Julie had when she was nervous and wanted to know something; it had formally been applied to Annabeth's love life in the second life, but not when it was used when the girl had a question about the first life and wasn't sure about the response.

In general, Annabeth was pretty patient with the questions but even sometimes would look over and stare dead-eyed until Julie could wait for a more appropriate time. Right now, though, she hoped she didn't look like that.

"Were we friends in the first life?"

Annabeth blinked. "What?"

"You said you went to school here, at least in the beginning, when you came back home. I just wanted to know if we were friends," Julie asked, her voice growing more confident. Annabeth looked up and recalled the first life. She'd only been here for a year.

"No," she replied, "we weren't."

* * *

 _"_ _You see that constellation there?" Annabeth asked. She pointed to the old constellation of Zöe Nightshade. Annabeth wondered if she was out there somewhere. Thalia hadn't mentioned her but a lot of the hunters were still missing._

 _"_ _Yeah," Percy said. The water was almost perfectly still._

 _"_ _That's a friend of mine. A person I used to know made her up, but—."_

 _"_ _She must've been something special to be made into a constellation," Percy said. His voice sounded distant and Annabeth wished he knew how right he was._

 _"_ _She must have been," Annabeth whispered._

* * *

The three had reported their thoughts to Chiron, who admittedly was not pleased that Annabeth had revealed that Percy was alive, but he concluded that they were on to something. Annabeth knew he had to let Percy's existence go. She knew he was happy Percy alive, which was good, because she was fairly certain that he had been thinking Percy was dead. Whatever lives they had… Percy hadn't existed. Which, technically, could be plausible, given that he wasn't supposed to be alive in the Real world.

Not that anyone held that against him.

Or teased him about it.

Chiron had told them that they were going to have a large meeting. All the cabin Counselors, and the Roman Senate. Reyna agreed, and in a weeks' time, they were meeting in New Rome.

Annabeth was antsy. She had several midterms to study for, her car was acting up again, she hadn't seen Percy in a week, and now they were going to have a meeting about why this had happened in one more week. She and Reyna had agreed to meet outside of Rome, off the record. They could discuss things freely, not as Greek and Roman, but as Annabeth and Reyna.

So Annabeth sat outside the Football field after their "unofficial" soccer practice, waiting for Reyna to meet her so they could head to some coffee shop in the city. Julie and Nina were behind her, chatting aimlessly about a project Nina had in her art class. Julie kept glancing sharply at Annabeth, who was standing there with her arms crossed, hands under her armpits to keep warm, with a cross scowl on her face. It wasn't that she minded waiting for Reyna, it was that the girl was late. Julie and Nina had insisted on waiting with Annabeth. Though both Julie and Annabeth could drive, and had a car, Nina was stuck until her parents came to pick her up or Julie would finally give up and leave without finding out with whom Annabeth was meeting.

Down the road a car pulled out and out stepped a tall dark haired girl with a purple pea coat. She walked toward Annabeth in with what could definitely be called a commanding presence and finally Annabeth recognized her as Reyna. It wasn't until then that Annabeth realized she'd rarely, if ever, seen Reyna in regular clothing. It looked strangely out of place on her, as if Reyna had always been destined to be praetor and belong in the toga.

Reyna smiled politely at Julie and Nina, who were staring.

"Annabeth."

"Reyna, you're here. A little late?"

The girl laughed and all tension was gone. "Only because it is difficult to hail a taxi where I'm from. Shall we go?"

"Yeah, oh uh. These are my friends, Nina and Julie." Annabeth gestured to the two girls standing behind. Julie waved curtly and Nina smiled politely and greeted the girl. Reyna smiled and grabbed Annabeth's arm.

"Come, we've much to discuss."

Out of the corner of her eye, Annabeth say Nina mouth the words to Julie who shrugged. But the girl suddenly had the feeling that was a little over their level. But before Annabeth could say anything, Reyna had swept Annabeth off in the direction of the parking lot and they were making their way towards their meeting, finally.

When they got to the car, Annabeth finally relaxed. She looked at Reyna, once they were both buckled up, but the girl was tightlipped. She peeked out the windows and stared around the cold world around them. Annabeth drove in silence, the music softly playing some indie song that made it seem like they were in a movie. They arrived at a small coffee shop, its lights a brilliant beacon as a rain settled quicker around them. Annabeth felt the grey of San Francisco reflect her mood and as much as she hated feeling cliché she could tell Reyna feel the same. The girl grabbed a silver NorthFace from where she'd dumped in Annabeth's messy backseat and trotted up to the old blue door of the coffee shop.

Annabeth followed, the bell ringing, and sat down across from Reyna in the bay window.

Reyna's hand slammed across the old weathered table, wasting no time, and said, "I'm being pushed out."

Annabeth blinked, slowly setting her bag on the table. "Pushed out? Octavian is out of the picture, right?"

Reyna sighed and leaned back. "Yes, he is. But I'm not talking about that. The senate. They think I'm getting too… cozy with you Greeks. That Chiron is beginning to influence me."

Annabeth frowned. "But that's not true!"

"Of course it isn't," Reyna huffed. "I've tried to quell their questions and advances and even involve them in the plans but everything to them is suspicious and new and dangerous." She leaned against the window crossing her arms and looking less dignified than a Praetor should. "I don't know what to do. Frank is being, of course, incredibly helpful— as much as he can because, you know, of course." She paused, not quite sure what to say.

"You can say her name," Annabeth said sadly, thinking of her younger friend. Nico had lost another sister in this mess.

Reyna just shook her head. "They still look out for her, you know."

"I know," she replied softly. "I know they do. They should. I never stopped looking for Percy."

"Percy had never died, before," Reyna replied. "Besides, we didn't come here to discuss her. They trust you, you're a Champion of Rome, you tell them the Greeks have no ill-intentions—."

"Piper is already there," Annabeth said, leaning forward, "can't she help?"

Reyna shook her head again. "It would mean more coming from a Daughter of Athena then a Daughter of Aphrodite. If two daughters of War goddesses come, you and I, and say they do not wish to fight, then it will make them stop. They will think."

Annabeth sometimes forgot that her mother was the goddess of War too, and not just wisdom. It was an aspect that was elusively forgotten by most. But Reyna was right, a War and Wisdom goddess of the Greek pantheon coming down to tell them that they had no problem with the Romans would mean more than even Reyna's word. She nodded once and then smiled.

"Okay, I'll do it."

Reyna smiled. Annabeth turned to look outside and then sat up straight. "Sadie."

Reyna looked at her sharply. What?

Annabeth began to grin. "Sadie Kane! She's an Egyptian Magician. We're not the only ones out there, you know. Maybe this isn't just Greek and Roman. If it affected other people's gods than we might have looked at this all wrong. Percy isn't the source and it might not have been a curse from Gaea!" She was looking at Reyna with hushed excitement. The girl seemed to ponder Annabeth's thought process.

"I wasn't aware of Egyptians."

Annabeth waved her hand dismissively. "It doesn't matter, not really. They don't interact or know about us, or us them. But Percy knew Carter really well, and I met Sadie. It was coincidence that they were siblings. But… I just realized I don't have Sadie's number anymore. I don't have that phone. Ugh!" She wanted to slam her head onto the table they were sitting at but figured the headache wasn't worth it. If she could contact Sadie or even Carter, it would confirm one thing for them— this wasn't just their problem. It meant they weren't alone.

And Annabeth needed that. It'd gotten better with Julie and Reyna and Piper, but with her parent's tip-toeing around her and her interactions with Percy, she felt alienated and welcomed at the same time. Piper had been a breath of fresh air, they'd all been friends. Reyna and she had grown beyond close, the two of them were tightly knit. And working closely to ensure a mutual agreement between the Greeks and Romans would be vital. It was up to them. Percy… Annabeth saw him at least three times a week when she wasn't busy. They were getting closer, but it was to be expect. Annabeth purposely mentioned things he liked before to see if he liked them now, and it worked. He responded positively. Annabeth felt bad about tricking him, but it was in both their interests.

And Annabeth missed him. She needed him.

"Don't you have a photographic memory?" Reyna asked.

Annabeth frowned, snapped from her thoughts beyond the window. "Something like that, not purely. And I have two lives of memories to sort out so it'll take me a day or two to remember getting one number in between hundreds."

Reyna deflated. "This is all a mess. Whatever this even is. It's like our lives were as they were before we found out about the gods. It's as if they just simply never interfered. They'd had children and then never bothered to do anything. Did your father ever mention your mother?"

Annabeth reflected on her second set of memories. What Reyna was saying was right, it was like they'd just picked up right before they had each learned about the gods. Small things changed— her parents had been nicer in this life, but still rougher than normal parents should have been— but Annabeth had simply never known about her mother. She was never prompted to run away at seven to a camp that, in her mind, never existed with a goddess for a mother guiding her. It just hadn't happened. Nothing made sense. Did the gods exist? Or hadn't they? They all still had had abilities, but how did those make it through the curse?

"No," she said, "not really. I mean, I asked. He just said he knew her from Harvard and that they'd never married. They just had me. It's like the first time, only I wasn't carried down on a golden cradle by the west wind as a present. In his mind, I'd just been… a normal baby." Annabeth leaned onto her arms. "We weren't, obviously. We were still Demigods. It's just like…" she sat. "It's just like the mist… got really, really… heavy."

But Reyna couldn't reply because suddenly their table was split in half. Annabeth jumped back, her coffee spilling all over her pants and she reached for her side for her dagger. But it wasn't there, with no Monsters, there had been no need for weapons. In front of them was an Empousa, hideous as ever and with a bronze sword.

"What?!" Reyna shrieked. She pulled out her Imperial Gold sword. Good, one of them was armed.

A plan formulated in Annabeth's mind. They needed to get to her car. Reyna nodded and lunged forward, the swords of the Empousa and Reyna clashing with a metallic spark. The mortals had fled, either mistaking Reyna's sword for a gun or because they actually saw Hecate's demon. But Annabeth couldn't worry about that. The remains of their table was on the ground, split in half clean down the middle. Good.

She turned and tried the door. Locked. Just what she thought. So she took the metal table and slammed it into the window they'd just been sitting in. The window shattered, causing glass to fly everywhere The rain sound got louder.

"Reyna!" she screamed.

Reyna jumped back and Annabeth threw the other table at the Empousa.

"My nails!" the demon screamed as she slammed into the counter, her neck cracking against the stone. The Barista screamed.

"Come on!" Annabeth yelled, and pulled Reyna to her car. They both got in and slammed the doors shut. But the Empousa was there, following them. She hissed.

"I will destroy you, demigods!"

"Yeah, right," Annabeth muttered. She put the car in gear and slammed into the demon. The Empousa shrieked and fell into the glass on the ground. "Damn, I hit the bronze leg. That'll leave a mark." But then she reversed the fuck out of there and was speeding down the road. "We have to get to my house, I have to make sure my parents are okay. They'll be catching us unawares where our scent is strongest. Gods, I was such an idiot to stay home. I should've stayed at camp."

Reyna nodded. "That one must have found us by pure luck. Look out!"

Annabeth swerved another Empousa, which she shrieked that they'd killed her friend. "I hate them."

"Let's get your family to New Rome and we'll figure out how many of them are here."

"Percy," Annabeth said, her heart stopping. "He won't be able to protect himself." Even though his abilities far surpassed that of anyone else while under the spell, he had no clue how to fight with a sword or with his hands, Demigod instincts or not he was vulnerable. She had to get him.

"Your family," Reyna said, putting a comforting hand on Annabeth's shoulder, "than Percy. I'll call Piper."

* * *

 _To Be Continued..._


	4. The Monster and the End

_"_ _My mom always had this obsession with blue food, but we never knew why! Wish I could have blue pizza. My grandparents find it hilarious," Percy exclaimed._

 _Annabeth hid a smile. Sally's parents were alive, then._

* * *

They arrived at Annabeth's house ten minutes later. The lights were off but both her parents' cars were in the long driveway. It was eerily silent except for the rain and Annabeth's windshield wipers.

"Something's not right. Give me your sword, I'll get my parents."

Reyna quietly handed the weapon over. "I won't argue. This is your family. I'll be here with the car ready."

Annabeth nodded.

Car door opened. It slammed. Her keys jingled but the door was open. Second sign. She slowly pushed it open. The kitchen was a mess and a red streak was across the floor. Annabeth had seen blood enough times to know what it did and didn't look like. That was spaghetti sauce, so that meant no one was hurt. Annabeth flipped the sword in her hand and snuck from the kitchen to the dining room, she turned and pointed the sword upward to the balcony where their rooms where. The chandelier above her squeaked but otherwise nothing made a sound. The doors on the second floor were all closed, which meant her family could be in any of them. If she could get to the other side where the living room was, and where another stairway was, she could sneak up the back of the stairs without coming from the dining room.

Quickly she rushed around the dining room table and through a small hall behind the pantry. It opened up to the living room and the second stairway and her stepmothers office. She snuck up the carpeted stairs with her sword tilted upward, carefully not to hit the squeaky spots she remembered from when she was younger.

When she reached the top of the stairs she turned the corner and thrust her sword out— if it had been a monster, it would be dead. Her family? It would have passed right through them, as strange as it was. But nothing was there and no bronze dust explosion. She cursed and opened up the first door behind the stairs, her room. It was empty and just as she had left it for school this morning. Her bed was haphazardly made but organized enough. Her bookshelf was neatly organized and was chock full of architecture and Greek books. A drafting table with sketches and a corkboard with a white board on it was in front of her desk on the wall with the door.

But not family.

She shut the door quietly, silently hoping that after all this she could go back home.

The bathroom, nothing.

Matthew's room, nothing. She began to grow irritated and checked the bathroom joining her brother's rooms together. Nothing. She looked at the door to Bobby's room. It was silent but it did nothing to turn her away. The small part of her brain reminded her of the monster house she'd been in when she met Luke and Thalia. But it had led her to family.

She crept forward and grabbed the handle.

Then she swung the door open and thrust her sword forward to find nothing. She growled. It wasn't like her to get angry. Maybe they weren't home at all and she was being paranoid. She hadn't even begun to check the basement, which should have been the first thing she'd gone over, but her instincts told her to go upstairs and Annabeth generally learned to never ignore her instincts. However, it left two rooms left upstairs— her dads office and the master bedroom.

She wanted to groan and a part of her wanted to leave. Just go downstairs and tell Reyna there wasn't a monster at all and that her family must've gone out with friends. And then she felt guilty almost instantly for thinking it.

The office was empty. Master bedroom. Or basement. She desperately hoped it was the Master bedroom. She grabbed the handle and slowly pushed it open. Inside was a relatively small cyclops, somewhat larger than Tyson. It was leaning over two tied figures— Bobby and Mathew. No sign of her dad or her stepmom. The cyclops hasn't noticed her yet and it was mumbling under its breath. Annabeth didn't know what Bobby or Mathew saw but hoped it was something similar to what it actually was. She jumped behind the mirror and made a "shush" motion with her fingers. Bobby nodded and nudged his brother. Mathew nodded. They were only a few years younger than her— fourteen. But they weren't equipped for this.

"I am Fred," the cyclops snapped. "I am Fred. Where is the Athena daughter?" He slumped down on their parents bed, the frame snapping under his weight.

Mathew and Bobby didn't say anything.

Annabeth looked around the room, her mind diverging to think about all the ways this could go. If she jumped out and… an idea formed. Behind the mirror was a single marble that Mathew had remarked loosing several weeks ago at dinner. She snatched it and then threw it across the floor. It rolled along the hardwood until it hit the bed frame and bounced off.

Fred the cyclops looked up and growled and grabbed a large wooden stick with leaves still stuck to it. It stomped across the floor toward the dresser on the opposite side of the room where Annabeth was. She leapt out from behind the mirror and cut the ropes binding Mathew and Bobby down then she turned around and immediately dodged the stick being swung in her face.

"Daughter of Athena!" Fred howled.

"Get out of here!" she screamed and thrust the sword into the cyclopes open chest. The monster exploded into dust. She whirled on her brothers, grey eyes intensely staring them down.

"Where are dad and Melissa?" she asked.

"Mom and Dad went out with friends. They picked them up a couple hours ago. What's going on?" Bobby's eyes were wide and fearful and as much as they tried to seem brave, they'd never gone up against a monster before.

"Yeah!" Mathew piped up. "I thought you said all the monsters and…" he paused. "…and the gods were gone."

Annabeth shook her head. "They just appeared. I was out with Reyna and got attacked but we need to leave. We have to make sure nothing else comes. My scent is all over this place and I can't risk putting you guys in danger. We're going to Camp Jupiter."

She led them down the stairs, the sword at the ready. "Grab what you need. No phones."

The boys groaned but clambered up the stairs to their rooms and returned moments later with backpacks.

They went out through the kitchen. At the end of the driveway, Reyna was sitting anxiously in the car. The rain fell harder.

"In you go," Annabeth said as she jumped into the front seat and switched the car on. "Let's get to camp and then get Percy."

"Percy is alive?" Mathew said, leaning forward. He examined his sister and then looked at Reyna. "Who are you?"

"I am Reyna, Praetor and Daughter of Bellona," she said. "I am a Roman demigod."

"Oh," was all Mathew said. Annabeth wondered if he was offended she rarely told them things. In the first life, she hadn't been close with her brothers, but this second life had brought in a life of what could have been. And then everything returned to the first life. Annabeth skirted around her family and her own life between her mortal life and her demigod one.

"But Percy is alive! Annabeth, that's great!" Bobby cheered and then slammed into the window as Annabeth took a sharp turn to get into the right lane to merge onto the highway toward New Rome and Camp Jupiter. "You have to let us go with you!"

"No," Annabeth and Reyna chorused.

Bobby scrunched up his nose. "You're not my sister," he directed toward Reyna. The girl rolled her eyes, an oddly unfitting reaction.

"I am" Annabeth said, "even by half. And I say no. It's too dangerous."

"You were seven when you left home!"

Reyna looked at her oddly.

"Not the point! I had a goddess guiding me and the skills to defeat the monsters. And see them, you guys aren't coming," Annabeth said, with finality in her voice. The boys were quiet.

After a few moments she tossed her phone back to one of them, not quite caring what happened to it given that it was useless now. "Call dad and Melissa and tell them to stay away from home. Get a hotel far away from here and don't go back until they get my okay. We don't want a repeat of what just happened."

Bobby held her phone in his hand. "I thought you said no phones!"

* * *

The reached New Rome with almost no problems and then exited and rushed toward the Tiber. Annabeth to grab Piper and let her know what was going on and Reyna to instruct everyone to make sure Bobby and Mathew were safe. They convened outside of Reyna's office.

"Piper, stay here and keep things under control. The borders will be rocky but the monsters shouldn't be able to get in. I've already amassed orders to prepare for battle but they'll listen to you," Reyna said. She placed a comforting hand on the girls shoulder. "You were one of the seven. Did you already warn Chiron?"

Piper's kaleidoscope eye's shifted from a warm green to a hard grey. "I did. He said Camp Half-Blood is preparing for battle too. He said they've already had about fifteen monsters standing outside the portal. They're trying to pull everyone in if they can." She shook her head. "Jason is doing his best but the campers are scared. They need the gods but…" her voice cracked. "Still no word."

Reyna nodded. "Good. Annabeth and I are heading to get Percy. He cannot be left alone. It's already been two hours since the first Empousa and we can't risk leaving him."

Piper agreed and grabbed Annabeth's wrist as the two leaders turned to leave. "Be careful— both of you. Percy is my friend too."

Annabeth smiled. "I know, we will."

Back in Annabeth's car, the girls were silent. They'd grabbed armor and weapons. Annabeth had a dagger back— it wasn't the new one she had after losing the last one, but it would do. She was glad to have Celestial Bronze back at her side. Reyna had changed from her jeans to leggings and a tight sweater to move around in. Annabeth had just thrown on a t-shirt.

"What's the plan?"

"Grab Percy and run," Annabeth said. "He should still be at the docks in the workshop, he doesn't usually leave until eight or nine."

Reyna nodded and turned to look around them. They were driving through the city now. It was almost empty except for several cars here and there. Neon signs reflected off the puddles and Reyna realized she'd never taken the time to walk through the city and enjoy it. But now was not the time to think.

Annabeth's radio cackled suddenly and the storm outside got worse.

 _"_ _Worst weather we've seen in about ten years, isn't that right Karen?"_

 _"_ _That's right Jim. A storm that has come up the coast of Mexico and developed down in cooler weather had made its way to San Francisco. We suspect it'll be about 10 to 15 inches of rain with winds up to about 30 to 50 miles per hour. Stay indoors and close your windows folks, wind tunnels—."_

 _"_ _Well, heeeeeeeello! This is Apo—."_

 _"—_ _wind tunnels will be created between the buildings—."_

 _"—_ _what terrible weather this is! My gods, it's like Poseidon is angry!"_

 _"—_ _there is a chance of lightning strikes—."_

"Was that Apollo?" Reyna asked, turning up the radio. She was right, Apollo and Karen wrestled for the radio station. Annabeth wondered if the mortals could hear it.

"Poseidon is angry," Annabeth said. "Percy. But this is good news." She glanced at Reyna as she swerved into the Marina's parking lot. "The gods are back."

 _"_ _Be careful Annabeth Chase,"_ the radio cackled, Apollo's voice uncharacteristically serious. _"It all comes down to this. The gods are depending on you."_

Annabeth shivered at his voice. The Marina parking lot was empty and she figured mostly everyone had been sent home. But there was one car still parked by the workshop being pounded by rain. The large metal doors of the shop were closed aside from a small sliver of light from the inside. Annabeth turned her car off.

"Hey!"

She turned around and shoved her dagger into Mathew's head.

The boy gaped at her, eyes wide and mouth slightly open, and then he looked at the dagger in his forehead. She pulled it out. Bobby looked scared.

"What are you doing here!" she yelled.

"We want to help too!" Bobby said, jumping up from the backseat. His dark black hair swept in front of his face and he pushed it back.

"You are both fools," Reyna said, her mouth in a frown. "What the hell is wrong with mortals?"

"Same," Annabeth said miserably. "Fine, but don't do anything stupid. We're going to go check the workshop. Stay here until we get back. Promise?"

"Sure, Annabeth," Bobby said.

The car doors opened and then Annabeth slammed hers shut. They walked over the shop and found nothing. Reyna cursed out loud but Annabeth barely heard her over the storm. Earth had spun without the gods but she would throw her entire breakfast in a fire every morning if it meant the weather wouldn't be so complacent anymore. She loved storms, but this was ridiculous.

Reyna trotted back to the car and peered into the back seat.

"They're missing, aren't they?" Annabeth asked, her voice strained.

Reyna nodded. "Let's head down to the dock and see what we can find. They might find Percy before we do."

Annabeth followed her down the steps toward the floating docks. If Percy wasn't here, he might still be closing the gas dock. The marina technically wasn't even supposed to be closed yet, not this early. But it was already almost dark and the lamps had turned on earlier. The water was black and the rain pierced their faces.

"Bobby?"

"Mathew?" Reyna screamed.

Voices down the dock carried up to them through the rain. Annabeth and Reyna shared a look and began to run down the dock on wet boards. A splitting creaking noise halted their steps just some fifteen feet from where her brothers were. She could see a much taller figure— Percy. She gripped Reyna's shirt.

"Did you hear that?"

"Watch out!" Percy yelled.

The girls dropped back as something burst through the dock, effectively splitting it in half. It was a green slimy sea monster that looked like an eel. It had several large red eyes and thousands of teeth as long as Annabeth's body. It screamed. Thunder cracked overhead in the sky.

It dropped back down into the water and doused both ends of the dock with sea water. Percy hurried back from it, grabbing her brothers. She forgot how strong he was.

"Be careful!" she screamed looking around for something, anything, that would lead her to the other side of the dock. She couldn't take a boat, neither she nor Reyna knew how to captain on and neither of them would be willing to swim in this mess. The monster's shadow lurked through the dark, inky water. The wind screamed and pushed her wet hair back into her face. Annabeth wanted to cry but she had to woman up and get her family out of there.

"We can't fight it," Reyna hissed in her ear. "Not while it has the advantage of the sea and Percy is out of commission."

"I know, I know, let me think!"

Two daughters of war.

One son of the sea.

The monster ripped through the black water and threw itself onto the dock. It's entire body blocked Annabeth's view of her brothers and Percy. The rain slammed against the dock and the wind pushed them back. The monster screeched and dragged a kicking something back into the water.

Mathew.

"No!" Annabeth screamed. This was why she had left in the first place— she was dangerous. Demigods were dangerous. And now her brother was going to die because she couldn't protect him. Because she'd let him come.

Percy yelled something and dived head first into the water.

An idea formed. Annabeth jumped back and ran up the dock. She gave a silent prayed to the gods. Reyna moved out of the way and let the girl sprint, only losing her footing briefly before she launched herself over the water. The inky blackness tried to swallow her but she landed firmly on the dock across from her and reached for her brother.

"Mathew!" Bobby screamed, "Annabeth, he—."

"I know!" she snapped. "Let's get you out of here! You're going to have to run and jump like I did—."

She was cut off as something was launched from the water. It was a person who flailed helplessly before the ocean reached up and cushioned his fall. Reyna leapt forward and dove into the water, grabbing Mathew and pulling him over to a small iron ladder. The water was raging but Annabeth could see they made it. The boy was clutching his leg as Reyna dragged him out and through the rain and the darkness Annabeth could make out a shiny red.

"Oh thank the gods, he's alive," she muttered. They could deal with his leg later. "Bobby, get away from here, go over to the far end of the dock, over there, you see?" She pointed past several large expensive boats that looked slightly damaged. He nodded and ran away without a word. She turned back to the ocean. The monster's mouth gurgled as it rose from the sea. Percy was there in the water, looking up at the creature with shocked eyes.

"Percy!" she yelled. "Kill him with this!" But before she could throw her dagger, Reyna tossed him her sword then motioned to Annabeth that Mathew was safe. Percy caught the sword and almost seemed to rise from the water. His eyes caught on that brooding look he'd gotten from Poseidon and he looked terrifying. Power began to radiate from the small whirlwind around his legs. The monster screeched and dove to snap it's jaw around the demigod. But Percy lurched to one side and threw one fist back, pushing the water to throw the monster straight onto the blade. The thing let out one final howl before it turned into gold dust and was blow away by the wind and the rain. Percy's whirlwind released and he fell into the black water.

Annabeth fell forward and into the water, pulling herself to move toward him to grab his arms. He was heavier than she remembered but she led him back to the first ladder. Reyna grabbed his arms and pulled him up.

Bobby was there suddenly, soaking wet and behind Annabeth.

"It's really cold," he said.

She cracked a small smile and pushed him forward to the ladder. "True, but you have to admit this is more fun than a phone."

He glared at her. She helped herself up the ladder. The rain and the wind had died down but they knew they had to get back to New Rome. She leaned over Percy, who was panting and tired.

"Hey, you, are you… do you know who I am?" she asked. "I know it's a lot to take in. Listen, I can explain, Percy."

He looked at her with bleary eyes and gave her a smile. "Wisegirl, how could I ever forget you?"

They kissed. And for the first time in a long time Annabeth laughed like she meant it.

* * *

They agreed it would be better to stay in New Rome. They would return to Camp Half-blood in the spring, around early March. But for now, Chiron needed them in New Rome. Reyna was still struggling against the senate and Percy was acting as Praetor in Franks absence. He'd been sent to Camp Half-blood to do exactly what Annabeth was doing— regrowing relations between the Greeks and Romans.

It was dangerous with the sudden influx of Monsters, and the Romans didn't care once Percy and Annabeth arrived with Reyna and Annabeth's siblings. Within several days after Percy's recovery, they'd beaten several large monsters. Sally had called and sobbed into the phone for ten minutes until Percy and her talked everything out. It would be best if she and Paul left. Annabeth had called her dad and Melissa and they'd come to New Rome and picked up Bobby and Mathew. Mathew's leg had been bandaged up and was relatively healed, but the bite had been deep and he would need a little physical therapy.

She hugged her family goodbye and told them she needed to stay here, for now. Rebuilding the parts of Rome that hadn't spawned back up was part of her duties, besides she argued, Olympus is out of commission right now and she needed a way to keep her skills up.

Melissa pulled her aside and thanked her for saving her brothers. They hugged. Annabeth felt it was the start of something good.

She had told Julie what had happened and that she wouldn't be returning to school. Her life became fixing everything that had gone wrong. She transferred out of her high school. It would be better if she didn't have to worry about mortal friends, too. Julie still cried and stuffed her number in Annabeth's hand, in case she "ever needed someone to talk to".

Everything settled down after a while.

"It's weird, isn't it?" she asked. They stood in the Basilica. She was explaining to him about the connection between the basilica and gothic cathedrals when he'd gone quiet, staring up at a statue of Poseidon. He'd received a small word from his father, a letter, but that had been all. He didn't hold it against him though, because Percy was glad that his father clearly loved him enough to tell him that everything was okay. The gods were still quiet, but the demigods figured they were figuring out their own problems. And possibly memories. Annabeth had gotten a necklace from her mother. She'd worn it ever since.

"Having two sets of memories?"

He looked over at her and grabbed her hand. "You were still my best friend, in both lives. Even if it'd only been for a couple of months."

She smiled. "I found you and I couldn't believe it. We still have no idea how this all happened. Nothing. The gods are still… shutting us out, and there's nothing from Rachel or Ella." She shook her head. "I just don't understand."

"We're all pawns, Annabeth," Percy said, almost bitterly. Then he softened. "I didn't mean that in a bad way. But our lives will never be normal, I guess. And stuff like… two memories, two lives… it's all—."

"Jumbled?" she asked, and laughed. He laughed with her too. "I hate to say it, but we might be used to it." He kissed her on the forehead and they walked out, hand in hand and content that they were together and in both lives they'd found each other.

Behind them, the statue of Aphrodite seemed to wink.

* * *

 _Fin._


End file.
